We Belong Together
by AlphaWriter1
Summary: "Finn Hudson was the safe choice,after all and Rachel had always done what was safe." Quinn and Rachel's conversation went a little differently than them deciding that Rachel and Finn were meant to be.They actually determined that Rachel and Puck were supposed to be together.Watch as Rachel realizes who her real true love is,and works to make sure she gets her happy ending.
1. Chapter 1: We Belong Together

**We Belong Together  
A Glee One Shot  
Puckleberry!**

Rachel Berry and Quinn Fabray, two newly found best friends in the senior class, were located in the infamous girls' bathroom where most of the drama for the Glee club members took place. It was where Rachel had been insulted and ignored by Quinn, Santana Lopez, and Brittany Pierce on the first day of school sophomore year. It was where Rachel had helped clean Noah Puckerman off during their short lived relationship. It was the same place where Rachel and Sunshine had had their duet together before Rachel had gotten so jealous of the tiny, talented girl.

As the brunette girl brushed out her long, wavy locks, the blonde haired beauty worked on adjusting her make-up. Neither girl was talking to the other. They had too many memories that were running through their heads. Memories of before they were friends and they'd spent their days as enemies. Memories of their friendship's rocky beginning as it slowly turned into the friendship they had now. There was a little bit of fear and dread as well, when it came to what would come next for the girls, and their other friends they'd soon be leaving behind.

"This freshman girl came up to me and gave me a hug." Quinn blurted out. "The told me to never change," She frowned, a sad look on her face. "The poor thing's too young to understand that change can sometimes be a good thing, especially in high school. After all, if you and I had never changed, well, we never would have been friends," She sighed.

"It's weird, hearing you call me that. After all those other choice words we used to have for one another, it's a little, considering one another as friends. We've swapped boyfriends more times than Kurt's power rangers got married," Rachel giggled. She knew what Quinn was talking about though. That painful feeling she got whenever a freshman said their goodbye to her. A part of her wanted to warn the young teenager about what high school could do for them, but another part of her said not to, because that could stop them from becoming who they were supposed to be.

After all, if anybody had told her that she'd be in the Glee club with cheerleaders as her good friends and a football player as her fiance, she never would have believed them. She would have thought of it all as a prank when it started to happen to her.

"I got you sometimes," Quinn said, reaching into her purse and pulling out two envelopes. "One's for you, to get from New York to Connecticut. And the other's for me, to get from Connecticut to New York," She explained.

"Why are you doing this?' Rachel asked.

"Everybody keeps saying that they should stay in touch and they'll always be talking and never forget their friendships, but I don't believe it. I do, however, want to make sure that we do just that. We're going to visit one another next year, constantly. Whenever you need a friend, I'll be on my way to NYADA. And when I'm spazzing out over my latest problem, you can get to Yale to see me and help me," She laughed.

"Thank you-thank you, so much," Rachel whispered.

Rachel had started out high school as a rather pretty and very talented girl. She'd had two supporting fathers who had loved her with all of their heart. She'd had near perfect grades and belonged to almost every single club the school had to offer. Yet she was lonely. She didn't have a single friend in the world. She had nobody she could talk to. Nobody who was close to her. If she was in need of a friend or somebody to just listen to her and give advice, she was forced to go to her fathers. She was the most unpopular kid in the entire school, and she was mocked relentlessly for it. For her passion.

And then Glee club had come along. Her progression to having friends had begun slowly, starting first with Mercedes Jones, a diva that could match Rachel very much in talent. Kurt Hummel had followed by soon after. And the rest had slowly start to come as well. But it hadn't been until her senior year of high school, after three years in the New Directions, that she could say she honestly was friends with every single member of the club. It wasn't until twelfth grade that she could honestly look at all of those faces and saw she was leaving behind her family when she graduated in a few weeks.

That was why it meant the world to her that Quinn cared about their newly developed friendship so much. Enough that she wanted them to continue to maintain an actual friendship where they could see one another whenever they wanted to, even after graduation. The mere fact that Quinn had taken the first step to keep their friendship alive proved to Rachel that the friends she had made this year were her true friends, who would forever follow her into her life. She was sure that they wouldn't be as close as they were now, with the pressure of graduation, but she did believe they would always be there for one another.

After all, Rachel's biggest fear was once again getting to that point in her life where she had nobody. Where there was nobody for her to talk to. That was exactly why the girl who was full of so much potential was going to be married fresh out of high school, to the boy she'd been with since her sophomore year, on and off again, of course. She shook her head. She didn't want any of her regrets for her decision to marry Finn Hudson flood and drown the wonderful feelings that this conversation with Quinn was giving her. After all, she was now guaranteed to have at least one friend in the upcoming year.

"I still don't want to just stand around and watch you throw your life away on Finn Hudson. You know that I'm against teenage marriage, right? And you know that I only want what's best for you, right?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at the tiny brunette.

"Quinn, you don't understand why I'm marry-"

"Oh, I understand all right. Believe me, I understand. I was at that point before," Quinn whispered. "I guess I just always thought you were stronger than I was. I never thought you'd be weak enough to give into fear and marry somebody, just because you were afraid to face the future without anybody there to hold your hand." She shrugged. "I always just assumed that Rachel Berry was a lot stronger than I was," She shrugged.

"I...Quinn, everybody agrees that this is the right decision, except for you. They all understand that Finn and I are meant to be together," Rachel sighed.

"NO!" Quinn snapped. "No, Rachel, you're not. I'm not jealous of you anymore, alright? I'm over Finn, and I don't want to go back to him again. But, I do know that you don't belong with him. You're not meant to be with him anymore than I was meant to be with him, or Sam or Puck, alright?" Quinn said.

Rachel frowned, mostly because a large part of her agreed strongly with what Quinn was saying. She had always strongly doubted the fact that she and Finn were supposed to be together.

"It's too late now," Rachel said, speaking her fears aloud.

"Rachel, it's never too late," Quinn said.

"You're wrong, you know," Rachel said softly. "You do belong with Noah, a lot more than I belong with Finn. You and Noah have always belonged together, in a sense. I've always felt that way, and I always will," She said sadly, a small, sad smile on her face as she spoke those dreadful words. They killed her to admit.

"Now you're the one who's wrong," Quinn laughed. "I don't belong with Puck and I never have. The girl that belongs with him is the one who changes him and makes him a better person. I couldn't do that. Santana definitely couldn't do that. Mercedes was never able to do that either. None of those nasty cougars could do that and neither could Lauren. Even your mom couldn't change him into somebody else. But you? He wasn't Puck anymore when he was with you. He was Noah," Quinn sighed.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say..."Rachel said, not wanting to believe Quinn's words. Because if she did, when the harsh reality kicked in, it would hurt too much.

"Rachel, he lets you call him Noah. He's always been there for you. He was the first one to step up and offer to kick Jesse's ass after he hurt you. He was the one to get those jerks to stop slushying you. He gave up football so he could be with you. He was willing to take on slushy after slushy so he didn't have to give you up. He sang that duet with you even though it killed him inside, just so you could make Finn jealous. And to make you happy, he promised Finn that he'd stay away from you, even though he knew Finn wasn't going to go back to you," Quinn said.

"Are you-wait a second...how do you know all of that? Is that really true?" Rachel asked.

She refused to believe any of it unless Quinn could offer her some sort of definite sign that Puck truly loved her. If he couldn't do that, than nothing mattered to her. She couldn't give into his sweet charm anymore. She wouldn't allow herself to be hurt by him again. Finn had hurt her in the past, but he was just as confused and afraid of the future as she was. That meant that she'd be safe with him. Finn Hudson was the safe choice, after all, and Rachel had always done what was the safe, smart thing to do. It was one of the few things that had helped calm her since sophomore year.

"Of course it's all true," Quinn sighed. "Puck and I have always remained friends-we had to, after all, when you look at our past. Anyways, he tells me things that he wouldn't tell other people. I know how he feels about you. I know that he loves you. And I know that you love him. You two are the couple that's supposed to make it from our senior class. You guys are the ones who are supposed to be together. Not Puck and I, and most definitely not you and Finn." Quinn said.

"And you really think that's true? That Noah and I belong together?" Rachel wondered.

"Of course I do-have you ever known me to stand in the way of your happiness?" Quinn giggled. Rachel laughed as well. "But, honestly? I do believe that. Because I know you, Rachel-I've watched you change since we first met and I've realized that Puck's changed too. And you've both changed to become more like the other in the past few years," She explained.

Rachel nodded briefly before turning on her heel and starting to walk towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Quinn called after her.

"To set things right before it's too late!" She called over her shoulder. "I'm not going to be afraid anymore," She promised Quinn as she left the bathroom.

* * *

Rachel walked through the hallways much in the same fashion she had back when she was a sophomore, working hard to get Sandy fired for over looking her creative ability and the fact that she was much more talented than that idiot he'd given the solo too, just because he'd had some kind of creepy pedofile crush on the teenager. It sickened Rachel to remember what she'd done just in order to get a solo, but she hadn't lied, and it had worked to make high school a much better place for every single member of the Glee club. So she couldn't bring herself to regret the decision.

"Rachel?" Kurt Hummel asked as she passed by him. "I got my NYADA letter-did you get-"

"Kurt, not now okay? We'll talk later-I need to find Puckerman and I need to find him _now," S_he said with a determination most of the glee club members-most of the school, actually-hadn't seen from her in a long time. It actually made Kurt smile a little as he remembered what his little diva of a best friend had been like back when they'd first met and had hated each other just on the principal of the fact that they were both two extremely talented divas, both destined for New York, who happened to be in love with the same boy.

"He's in the library, if you can believe that," Kurt called to her as she passed.

Rachel actually could believe that. She knew how important passing that re-take was for him. She understood that he wanted to graduate and prove everybody in the school wrong about him. She understood that he wasn't really stupid, just as she realized that he wasn't a loser like everybody else thought about him. She'd always felt that he was something special, destined for a much bigger and better place than Lima, Ohio. He just needed to realize that himself.

"Thanks!" She called back at him as she sped up her pace, hurrying towards the library as quickly as she could.

As she walked, she could remember each and every moment she'd shared with the boy that only she was allowed to call Noah. The only other Jew in the school-besides that idiot Jacob. The first boy to be her actual boyfriend. The boy who always made her feel nothing short of beautiful.

* * *

_"Hey, relax-it's not for throwing." She eyed the boy suspicously as he held the drink that should be covering her from head to toe at that very moment. Yet, for some odd reason, it wasn't. "I picked it up for you when I was buying dip. It's grape-I know that's your favorite, because the last time I tossed a grape one at you, you licked your lips before you cleaned yourself off," He said, that boyish grin that didn't fit his bad boy persona on his face. That same grin that could easily melt any girl's heart. And now it was aimed directly at her, as if trying to get her to fall for him._

* * *

_"I'm really sorry I ever did this to you," He whispered as she sat on his knee, trying to get all of the slushy from his mohawk and his face. His shirt would be stained-which was probably her least favorite physical effect of the slushies. _

_"It's alright," She shrugged, wiping a pile of colored ice from his shoulder gentle._

_"No, it's not. Nobody should ever feel this way," He told her with a cold, determined look on his face that made her believe that she would never again have to feel that way-not because of him, and not because of anybody else either. _

* * *

_"Do you want to make-out?'_

_"I'm ironically turned on by your bad boy image..."_

_"Is that a yes?"_

_"I'm with Jesse..."_

_"Cheating on that Jesse kid with me? That would bring your rep right up."_

* * *

_She couldn't help but smile as he walked into the choir room, stopping at the doorway and grinning sheepishly at her._

_"Is it too late to pick glee over-"He never got to finish. She ran into his arms and hugged him tightly, before taking a small step back and looking up at him._

_"Are you sure about this, Noah? Choosing us over the team? It might mean that you get a slushy facial every day," She told him. _

_He looked down at her with a determined grin on his face._

_"Bring it," He told her, smirking as he pulled her in for another hug. _

* * *

_"Do you wanna make out?" He asked. This was the first of many times he'd ask that question, which would quickly become a regular question asked by Noah Puckerman when he was at her house, sitting on her bed, in her room with her.  
_

_"Sure!" She said brightly. Mostly because she knew he could have asked for more, but he'd instead decided to ask for something so simple and so small. _

* * *

_"Do you remember when the school gave us a nickname? Puckleberry?" She wondered._

_"Puckleberry?' he groaned, tossing himself backwards on her bed and covering his face with his hands. "Hell, that must have brought my reputation down," He sighed._

_"Actually, what I was trying to say was that being with me actually improved your reputation," She whispered. _

* * *

_"When is he getting out?" She asked, as soon as Mr. Shuester told the club that Noah Puckerman, was in fact, in juvie for trying to steal an ATM. He was such a stupid boy. He really was. _

* * *

_"That's not true," He told Santana calmly, defending her in front of the entire club, when nobody else-even her boyfriend-did the same for her. "I actually kind of like her," He shrugged. _

* * *

_"Are you ready?" He asked her, looking down at her in her tiny football jersey with the helmet on her head._

_"Let's kick some ass!" She grinned up at him. He laughed as he tapped her helmet. _

* * *

_"What up, my hot, little, Jewish-American princess?" He wondered. It was his typical greeting for her. She couldn't begin to count the times he'd called her that. _

* * *

She couldn't exactly help but remember that his first solo had in fact been sung for her. He'd been the one to offer her rides whenever she'd needed one. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Quinn Fabray was absolutely right. She didn't belong with Finn Hudson. Instead, she belonged with Noah Puckerman.

She found him just as he was leaving the library, and she made up the short distance between them by taking off running, throwing herself into his arms, with the only warning being yelling out his name.

"NOAH!" She shouted, just as she reached his arms.

"What up, my hot, little Jewish American-"He never got to call her his princess, because her lips were immediately on his. "Rachel? What was that for?" He asked as she let go of him, standing on her own two feet. "You're engaged to-"

"I don't _care, _Noah! I don't belong with Finn. You and I? We belong together," She said. "We always have and we always will. I can't settle for Finn out of fear. I can't settle anymore. If I want to be happy, than I have to be with you," She explained.

"Rachel-"

"No, don't tell me I'm wrong or that you can't do that to Finn again, because that's stupid! High school is over and it's about time we all started acting like mature adults. Sometimes relationships don't work out. And sometimes, two things are totally different and it seems as if they have nothing in common at all. That there's no way they could work together. BUt their differences? Those are what make them perfect for one another." Rachel said.

"Isn't that what Mr. Shue said about mash-ups, back in sophomore year?" Puck frowned.

Rachel was slightly amazed at the fact that he'd remembered a lesson they'd learned so long ago, but she didn't have the time to marvel over that fact. She needed to act fast, because time was running out.

"Yes, and I always remembered that, because it was as if he was talking about more than just music. It was like he was talking-"

"About us? Did you think he was talking about the good girl and the bad boy?" Puck asked.

Rachel frowned, unsure of whether he was mocking her or not.

"Rachel, I remembered that lesson out of all of the other ones we learned in the past three years, because that was the only one that mattered. That was the one where I realized that you were a hot Jew-just like me-and the good lord wanted me to get into your pants. But more than that? I realized that I didn't want Santana or Quinn. I could have any girl in the school, but I didn't want them. I only wanted you," He told her.

"Really?' She asked.

"And what I was trying to tell you, before you rudely interrupted me, was that it was about time you realized that you belonged with me and not Finn-nessa!" He told her, grabbing her around the waist and picking her up, spinning her around before kissing her right on the lips.

Rachel didn't mind that they were breaking pretty much every PDA rule the school had to offer. They were so close to graduation, and there was nothing they could do to hurt them.

"But, Rachel, I don't want to hold you back anymore than Finn would. I might not even be graduating," he sighed.

"And I might not be getting into NYADA," Rachel shrugged. "The future is full of what-ifs, okay? And you know what? I'm not opening that letter until I know for a fact that you're graduating with me." She said.

"There is no if about you getting into NYADA and becoming a star. It was the one thing Jesse St. James and I ever agreed on," Puck told her.

"Well, I never doubted that you'd make it out of Lima. And you know what? I thought you knew by now that a kiss was a funny thing," Rachel smiled at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"When it comes at the right time, from the right girl-it can be just what you need to become the person you have to be. Even if it's the person you've always been. A complete and total, grade-A bad ass," Rachel said, standing on her tip toes and kissing him again. "You think you can take that test now?" Rachel asked him.

"Bring it," He grinned.

* * *

Puck came walking out of his test with a wide smile on his face and a paper in his hands.

"Let me see!" Rachel squealed, racing towards him.

"Open your letter," Puck told her.

"Grade,"

"Letter,"

"Grade!"

"Letter!"

"You are such a-"

"Wait a second," Puck said, holding a hand up. "Have you told Finn yet?" He asked.

"Have I told Finn what?" She wondered.

"That you're not going to marry him?"

"No," She admitted.

"Are you planning on doing that soon?" He asked playfully.

"Well, first I wanted to make sure you loved me," She whispered.

"That was a foolish thought-of course I did," he rolled his eyes.

"And then I wanted to see if you were passing your test-I wanted to be the first to know," She told him.

"Right after we find out what our futures hold, you're telling him, okay?" He asked.

"Alright-now, grade?" She asked.

"Fine, but only because you're my hot, little, Jewish-American princess," He winked, handing her the paper.

"A B- minus?" She asked, eyebrows raised.

"Well, that's a Puckerman A plus...actually, it's better than a Puckerman A plus," He shrugged. "Now, letter?" He asked.

She sighed as she tore open the envelope, pulling out the letter slowly.

"Well?" He asked.

"Hush!" She said as her eyes scanned the letter over.

"Well?" He asked again.

"I got in," She grinned, her entire face breaking into a smile.

"I knew you would, babe," He said, picking her up and spinning her around again. "Now, are you ready to break off your engagement?"

"Bring it."


	2. Chapter 2: If It Means A Lot To You

**If It Means A Lot To You   
_A/N: I was so not expecting the response I got to We Belong Together-even if it was just a few reviews. So, I decided I'd add another chapter. Who wants to see what happens when they break the news to Finn? _  
**

"Rachel!" Finn Hudson smiled as his girlfriend and fiancee came walking into the choir room. "Puck!" He grinned at his best friend. And then he frowned as he noticed something rather funny about the pair that had just walked into the room. They were holding hands, and Puck looked rather protective towards the girl he was holding close to him. Rachel had that guilty expression on her face that she had whenever she'd done something she knew that Finn wouldn't like. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he tried to figure out why the two polar opposites and enemies were acting so friendly.

"Finn...we need to talk," Rachel said softly, lowering her head as she released Puck's hand. Finn couldn't help but notice how Puck widened his eyes, frowning slightly as he looked at his now empty hand and sighed, leaning against the doorframe as Rachel walked towards Finn and sat down besides him, taking his hand in her own. Something very fishy was going on between the two of them, but Finn couldn't figure out what it was.

"What's going on, Rach?" He wondered, leaning in to kiss her. She turned her head away so he made contact with her cheek, rather than her lips. Puck narrowed his eyes, taking a small step forward, only to be stopped by a sharp glance from Rachel that was clearly warning him to remain calm.

"I can't marry you," She told him softly. "I love you, Finn-I really do, but I...I love you like a best friend. I love you in an almost brotherly way." She whispered.

"It's because of Puck, isn't it?" He asked sadly.

Puck, his best friend in the entire world, who always seemed to get the girl.

Yet, Finn couldn't really be upset about this. He couldn't bring himself to be angry. After all, a part of him had always known that Rachel Berry belonged with Noah Puckerman.

"Yes," Rachel admitted. At least she wasn't trying to lie. That had been one thing that he had always admired about the girl sitting besides him-the girl that he and his best friend had both loved since sophomore year. She was always honest about everything, no matter how hard it was for her.

"Alright, that's fine. I want you to be happy, Rach-and, in a way? I always sort of suspected this was going to happen. I know I'm not the smartest guy out there, but I do happen to know when two people love each other and belong together. And Puck and you? You've always belonged together. I guess I'm just pretty lucky to have gotten you for as long as I got to keep you. I love you, Rach, and I always will," He told her.

"I'm really sorry, Finn-I never wanted to hurt you. Neither did Noah," She whispered softly, not bringing her gaze up to look at him. She had always hated hurting people, especially when it came to people she cared deeply about. Finn knew that this conversation had been just as hard for her to begin as it was for him to partake in. Yet she had braved the conversation herself, rather than sending Puck into do it for her.

"I'm sorry, bro-I didn't want this to happen. I did try to keep my promise to you. And I hate doing this to you again. But, I love her," Puck whispered from his spot by the door. "And she loves me. If she loved you, then I'd tell her to be with you, because I only want her to be happy. But I can't hurt her," Puck said.

"Noah?" Rachel asked, looking up and smiling at her new beau. Finn shook his head, wishing this torture could just end. He wasn't getting angry. But it was heartbreaking to have to see. "Could you give us a second alone?" She asked.

Finn sighed. What was Rachel doing to him? Was she trying to kill him or something? He wished Puck would say no, but Rachel had always been his weakness. He shrugged as he turned and left the room.

"I love you, Finn Hudson-I always have, and I always will. But I love Noah as well, and, well, we belong together, no matter how I feel about you. I love him, I really do, and I always have. That's why I keep going back to him, no matter what happens or how he's treated me," She said.

"Can you just promise me something?" Finn asked softly, looking up at her with red, tear filled eyes. Rachel nodded, reaching out and taking his hand once again. "If, for some reason, things don't work out between Puck and you-which I highly doubt-well, you'll come find me?" He asked.

"Please don't put your entire life on hold for me," Rachel pleaded. He sighed, nodding in his relent for it. "You'll always have a piece of my heart, Finn," She told him, leaning over and kissing him on the lips.

Finn sighed as she stood up, smoothing out her skirt as she smiled a tiny little smile at him and started towards the exit to the choir room, exiting and falling into the one armed embrace of Noah Puckerman as they walked away.

* * *

Finn clenched the wheel of his old, beat up, dark red Mustang convertible as he drove home, the rain pouring down.

The rain fit, what with his sad, angsty mood. It was slightly ironic that it was pouring rain on the darkest, worst day of his entire life. To be fair though, this entire year had sucked for him.

In a way, it made sense that Rachel had called off the engagement because Finn didn't make her happy enough. Sure, while she hadn't officially decided to call of the engagement and be with Puck until this particular day, she hadn't called him to talk about the wedding in three days.

And he was still being that sad, pathetic dump-ee who was constantly checking his phone ever other second, just to see if she'd called him-to see if she'd changed her mind, and did, in fact, still want him. It was stupid really, since he knew she would never come back to him. He shook his head, unsure of how much more pain and suffering-how many more things could go wrong in his life plan-without him snapping.

All Rachel had had to say for herself that she was sorry. Sorry that she'd found somebody else, leaving Finn to struggle as he tried to catch another one of the many fish in the sea that he didn't really want. He knew better than to try and impress her with make believe stories. And she knew better than to try and make up excuses for herself when it came to him. They knew each other too well. They could spare each other that much pain. It was the least they could do for one another. Especially since it was clear that both of them were already hurting enough.

_Highway run into the midnight sun/wheels go round and round/ you're on my mind_

Of course their song would play on his drive home. It wasn't that it really burnt him, not that much anyways. The real pain stalled until the chorus hit the second verse.

"She was the one for me..."He muttered, thinking of her pretty face, her soft hair, and her caring eyes. "The only one for me," He sighed, remembering the way she just dug into her emotion whenever she sang, whether she was in the chorus or singing one of her many solos, or even a duet.

Finn had made multiple mistakes in their relationship, yet Rachel had always been quick to forgive him. Instead, it had been when she'd made her few, small mistakes that he'd gotten angry with her, ending their relationship, giving her some time to realize that maybe she did want better. TO realize that maybe she could do better. To figure out that she deserved better. Yes, it was true that she was the only one that Finn would ever want.

She had been his only obsession for so long. She'd always been able to keep him level. He'd been perfectly grounded when they were together, not allowing his vocal talents or his football abilities to get to his head. She kept him balanced as a regular, every day student at McKinley. But she also somehow managed to keep his head in the clouds. Whenever he was with her, he felt like he was on cloud nine-his own form of paradise and his own special, private form of heaven where they were the only two people who existed-the only two people who really mattered.

* * *

"Puck and Rachel?" Kurt Hummel asked as he sat in his step-brother's bedroom later that day. "How do you even know? What were you doing at school that late? They were only there for Puck's make-up test..."Kurt frowned as he sat down on the desk chair in Finn's room, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows curiously at his brother, who, at one point in their high school career, he had had a crazy crush on, even going as far as to fix their parents up trying to get closer to the tall, strong football player who ruled the school, despite his nice-guy ways.

"I was in the choir room, just...looking around. It was the place that changed me. Helped me realize who I was supposed to be, you know? And, of course, it also was where I met Rachel," He sighed. "Anyways, they came in because Rachel thought I should know about their relationship, and the fact that we weren't going to be together, the way I thought," He shrugged, shaking his head as he buried his face in his hands.

"You always knew this was going to happen," Kurt pointed out. "You always knew that she was going to realize how she felt about him. That's why I could never really grasp why you'd propose to her, when you knew she loved your best friend," He sighed, shaking his head. He knew he wasn't helping, but he was being honest.

"I asked her to marry me because I loved her, alright? There was no special reason to it, and I didn't consider Puck in that decision," He said. Kurt knew he was lying.

"You asked her so you could be sure she'd never pick him over you," Kurt whispered.

* * *

Finn wished that he had somebody he was close with. Somebody he could whisper his secrets to.

Especially when they were about a beautiful, talented eighteen year old girl who would soon be leaving him physically, the same way she'd just left him emotionally.

Of course, he didn't have that confidant. For the longest time, his best friend had in fact been one of the two people that he was longing to talk about at this moment. And, for an even longer time-or, what had felt like a longer time-his best friend had been the girl who had taken his heart and torn it apart.

Names weren't important. There was no reason for him to spill or release names to people. After all, that wasn't exactly classy. Besides that, he had written about her in his journal-the same one he had out right now to right in-countless times before. She was a countless reappeance in this spiral ring notebook that was full of his mess chicken scratch that was full of his anger and his sorrow-any pain he'd had in life.

_I wish I were the cigarettes, tucked deep down in her pockets. She'd light me up-let me swing from her lips like a circus show-yeah, that would be an awesome metaphor if it wasn't for the fact that Rachel Berry most definitely did not smoke. I can't exactly remember where I got that quote from, but apparently it stuck with me. Much more than a more realistic quote from that stupid play we all had to read freshman year. The one where they aren't supposed to be together because of family and shit, but they do anyways and they both die at the end? _

Finn sighed, wishing that his life was more like a TV show, where everything was pretty much required to work out for the best. Where everything had to be in his favor. But, his life wasn't a show. Instead, this was more like one of those sad songs about a girl. A girl who could make his head spin, even now that they were no longer together. A girl who made him slut his words as if he were drunk. Which he was. Drunk off of her. His song was most definitely a love song. But it wasn't a happy one. It wasn't about finding his one true love. It was about losing his love.

_Love-la di da-I hate love! I'll never forget her name. Rachel Berry-she was my first love, no matter what I claimed or thought to have felt towards Quinn Fabray. She had absolutely nothing on what I felt for Rachel Berry. I couldn't wait to sleep with Rachel, yet I did, because she wanted that. And I couldn't wait to marry her. Too bad I'll never get to do that now. I'll always love her this same way though. All my love is for her. _

Rachel had struck a match and started to burn Finn right through until he was nothing. Now, all he had left of her was the sight of her that swam through his dreams and his thoughts. He shook his head as he stared at his bed, where they had slept together before, before standing up and tearing it apart, pulling the sheets off roughly.

He couldn't sleep there again knowing that it had once given him such a wonderful feeling and had some good memories in. Where Rachel had set him on fire and let his love for her glow.

He'd promised Rachel something. He'd promised her forever.

He looked at the ring she'd placed in his hands when she was saying her goodbyes.

Apparently that ring held the same amount of promise as a cheap little plastic ring would. Not that it mattered, how expensive the ring had been. She didn't want it.

They were growing up now, and they were growing apart. But damn it, they were still so young. They were only eighteen, and they'd been destined to be married. Finn's whole life had been planned for him, as soon as he'd given her that ring. And now, with its return, it was back to being a blank slate.

Finn had been fast to fall in love with her. He'd jumped, and fallen right through the floor and straight to being in love with Rachel Berry. One could say that she'd been a rebound from Quinn Fabray, after she'd slept with his best friend and gotten pregnant, lying about the baby's father before Rachel finally revealed the truth. But one would be wrong to say that, because he did love her, and no guy ever loved his rebound girl.

Yet, apparently Finn had been a rebound for her, despite her claims to have loved him. She'd strung him along for years, hurting him and destroying who he was. She'd made him believe that they could have a future together and that she would help him figure out what he could do with his life. But that had all been another one of her pretty little lies. So, he sat back down at his desk and reached for the papers he'd gotten months ago, having forgotten about them after she'd told him yes. Finn Hudson had his future figured out. He was going to join the army.

* * *

"You heard about Puck and Rachel?" Quinn asked, appearing besides him the next day as he stood at his locker the next day.

"How'd you hear?" He asked, stopping as his head snapped up to look at her.

"I was with her when she decided to get together with him," She shrugged.

"You're the one who made her realize how she felt," he said blankly.

"What makes you say that?" She asked him, shocked at how he'd guessed correctly.

"Because Rachel wouldn't have hurt me unless somebody really got her thinking."

"And that just shows how much she cares about pleasing other people."

"Exactly! And now she's hurting somebody-you should have left well enough alone," He glared.

"Would you rather she be unhappy for the rest of her life?" Quinn wondered.

"I'd rather she be with me!" He snapped.

"Are you angry?" She asked, a playful hint to her voice.

"Of course I'm angry-she was my fiancee, and he was my best friend!"

"This isn't the first time he's done this to you," She reminded him.

"Why him? Why did it have to be him over anybody else?" He asked softly.

"Because they're supposed to be together. You can't help who you fall in love with," She said.

"What about you? Why'd you pick him?" He asked.

"Are you still on about that? I was drunk-get over it," She rolled her eyes.

"I just...she was supposed to love me," He said.

"Apparently not," She giggled.

"You think this is funny? Have you ever had the person you love turn you down for somebody else before?" He snapped.

"Yeah, you know what? I have," She sighed, lowering her gaze as Sam Evans walked by with Mercedes Jones on his arm.

"Quinn," He whispered softly, reaching out to hug her.

"I didn't do this because I didn't think you deserved to be happy, Finn," Quinn said.

"I didn't-"

"I did it because I thought Rachel deserved to finally make herself happy," She explained as she walked away.

* * *

"Are you going to hit him?" Rachel wondered, looking up to see Finn Hudson standing in front of the table she and Puck were sitting at.

"Why would I-never mind. I'm not going to hit him. I want to talk," He shook his head.

"Sit down," Puck nodded towards one of the many empty chairs around them.

"Here," He said, sitting down across from the couple, holding his hand out.

"Finn, I can't-"Rachel protested as he dropped the ring in front of her.

"Don't protest-I gave it to you, and I want you to keep it," He said.

"But I-"She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand to stop her.

"Listen, you didn't cheat on me, alright? And I was being unfair to you," He said.

"What are you talking about? How were you being unfair to me?" She asked.

"I knew you loved him. I knew he loved you," He said simply.

"I don't understand," She frowned, shaking her head.

"I knew that no matter how you felt, you wouldn't want to hurt me," he explained.

"So? What's that got to-oh," She whispered, realization dawning on her.

"Wait-hold up-you picked your own happiness over Rachel's?" Puck asked.

"Yes," Finn admitted, lowering his head.

"And you claim to love her?" He asked.

"Noah, it's alright. Finn was just-"

"Being a completely selfish jerk who only thought about himself?"

"That's not fair!"

"But it is true," Finn interrupted. "Rachel, that's exactly what I did, and I'm sorry."

"I can't be angry at you for-"

"I sure as hell can. Maybe you should apologize to me as-"

"Noah, shut _up!" S_he snapped. Surprisingly, he listened.

"Rachel, he's right. You should be mad at me," He sighed.

"No I shouldn't, because I was with you for my own reasons as well." She said.

"Rachel, I was being a-"

"If you'd dumped me, I never would have gone to hik," Rachel said.

"What the hell does-"

"_NOAH!" _

_"_Sorry..."

"You see, I was afraid of being with Noah when we were still in school."

"We're still in-"

"We're days away from graduation," Rachel pointed out.

"What does high school have to do with-"

"I was afraid that social standings and better looking girls would-"

"Rachel, stop that," Puck and Finn said at the same time. They shared a glare with one another. "You're beautiful," They said together, once again. Rachel giggled.

"It's so funny-how you two are so different, yet so alike when it comes to me," She explained.

"Probably because we both love you," Finn said.

"And we both only want what's going to make you happy," Puck added.

"I don't want to lose either of you. Noah's the love of my life, but I would hate to lose our friendship, Finn," Rachel explained.

"We'll always be friends, A-Rach," He smiled at her as he stood up to leave.

"Alright, F-Rod," She giggled as he turned around and walked away, sharing one last secret smile with her.

"What the hell does any of that even mean?" Puck asked, but Rachel just ignored him, watching her first love walk away from her for the final time in her life.


	3. Chapter 3: Kids In Love

**Kids In Love  
A Glee 3-shot  
_A/N: This is the last chapter. _  
**

"I can't freaking do this, Rachel! I suck at it and I should just give up and quit!" Noah Puckerman groaned, falling back onto his old bed at his mother's house. The two had traveled from New York City to Lima with their two year old daughter, Gabrielle Barbra Puckerman, for their ten year high school reunion.

Rachel Berry-now Rachel Puckerman-giggled as she approached her husband, reaching out and tying his tie for him. "There," She said, turning to walk away, only to be stopped by his strong arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her onto his lap. "I have to finish getting ready!" She protested, trying to push away from him so she could stand back up. "Besides, Samantha's downstairs, and do you really want you're mother to hear us? As well as our daughter?" She asked.

"Well, you'll just have to be very quiet, then," He grinned, kissing her neck as she frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I have to get ready-we're going to be late if we spend anymore time making out like high school kids," Rachel said, rolling her eyes as she stood up.

"Eh, you're no fun," Puck said, shaking his head as he stood up and pulled on his black sports coat over his grey button down with his black dress pants. His tie, due to Rachel's protests, was a purple and grey pattern. He still had his custome mohawk-despite his protests to shave it off. Rachel claimed that he wouldn't be Noah Puckerman, residential bad ass without that mohawk. Besides, it was just a part of the boy that she'd falle in love with. He was pretty sure it had more to do with the bad-girl reputation it gave her, when the tabloids talked about the Broadway legend.

"I've had claims that are just a little bit different than that." Rachel shrugged, pulling on a short black dress that fell right off of her shoulders. "And most of those claims were from you," She smirked.

"Well, you're pretty good when you're letting me-wait a second-what do you mean that _most _of those claims were from me?" He asked, his head snapping to attention. "I'm pretty sure that all of those claims should have been from me, because I just so happen to be your husband," He grinned at her playfully. "Who just so happens to be loving the sight of you in that tiny little skirt. Damn, it's just so sexy," He shook his head.

"Well, that's because I happen to be sexy," She teased, sitting on the edge of his bed to put on her black heels. Her simple, single-diamond, thin band wedding ring sparkled in the light and Puck sighed, staring at the simple, diamond-less wedding band that he'd given to her about a year after their graduation, a few weeks before their one year anniversary.

"One day, I'm going to get you something bigger," He promised her.

"Noah," She sighed, sliding across the bed to be besides him. "I love this ring, alright? I love it because you got it for me, after giving up your California dreams so that you could come with me while I lived out my New York dreams. This ring shows that you cared enough to get me something, despite our budget, while you were working a dead-end job and balancing your classes at NYU-which you applied to just in order to be closer to me, when you still thought I was going to be with Finn," She explained. "If anything, it should be me telling you that I'm going to make it up to you," She said.

"Alright, alright-I get it, you like your puny little diamond," He shrugged, holding his hands up in defense. "That's fine-save me some money," He teased, even though the couple was standing well on their feet. Puck was correctional officer, working with teenagers that were much like himself and a favorite around the kids, while Rachel fulfilled her Broadway dreams. She'd even recently played the lead in a revival of _Funny Girl. _

"Good, now that that's settled, let's get going?" She asked, standing up and pulling the tall, strong football player to his feet. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she took her purse from the dresser and started walking from his old room, towards the stairs and out of the house, calling a quick goodbye to his mother, trying to not wake up their sleeping baby.

"It's going to be so weird...not seeing him here," Puck whispered as they crawled into Puck's truck-he'd refused to get another car.

"Do you really think he'd want to see us anyways?" Rachel wondered, lowering her gaze as her husband started up the truck and pulled from the driveway.

"I just don't understand why he has to hold this grudge against us and skip out on his own high school reunion," Puck sighed. "It's not like he's still at war-thank god," He sighed. "I can't help but feel like he's going to end up showing up, and something bad's going to happen if he does," He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "Are you sure you want to go? I mean, you see everybody that matters to you all the time, anyways," He asked.

"Just because you're worried that Finn Hudson is going to come and turn this into some sort of dramatic Lifetime movie does not mean that you and I should skip out on our own high school reunion. And I do not see everybody that matters to me. I haven't seen Mike and Tina since our wedding, you know," She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I only really see Kurt and Blaine, and occassionally Quinn. Mercedes lives across the country after all. And Santana does matter to me, Noah," She said, shaking her head as she stared out of the window.

"Do you ever wonder how it would be different?" He asked suddenly. "If you'd been with Finn and never admitted your feelings towards me?" He asked softly.

"Do you?" She asked.

"Yeah," He admitted. "And I feel like your life would be better, in a way," He whispered, his eyes locked on the road ahead of them, because he already knew what Rachel's reaction would be like to this. He never should have brought the subject up in the first place. She was probably just going to get angry.

"I think about it sometimes as well, but in my eyes, my life can't possibly be better, because when I'm with Finn, I'm not happy," She said, reaching across and taking his hand in her own. "I can't possibly be happy with him, because I don't love him, you know? I mean, he's like a...best friend to me. He's not like you are. And he hasn't even bothered to talk to me in years, Puck, which just shows how long our marriage would have lasted, you know? If he doesn't get his way, then he's miserable and decides to be silent forever," She shrugged, smiling at him.

"Well, I can't blame him for that. If I lost you to some other guy, I'd be pretty miserable too. I mean, you're amazing and you're exactly the type of girl I've always wanted-you're the type of girl every guy wants. Which is exactly why Finn's probably acting like this. He just can't believe he let you go, even though he knows it was for the best, because it made you happy," He explained, giving her hand a squeeze as he turned into the school's parking lot.

* * *

Finn Hudson did not want to be here.

He did not want to have to enter that school and see Noah Puckerman with Rachel Berry-well, Rachel Puckerman now.

It would absolutely kill him inside.

After all, he was already starting to fall to pieces as he watched the giggling woman enter the school with her husband's arm wrapped tightly around her.

He sighed as he took another sip of his beer-the last from the six pack he'd started before leaving the house-swearing at the fact that it was already finished. He shook his head, hating how he could still feel her breath as if she were sleeping next to him once again, sharing his pillow because she needed to be as close to him as possible, his feet freezing as she hogged all of the blankets, rather than sharing with him.

She used to claim that she could feel his heart and that she always fell asleep to its gentle, smoothing beat as she stared cuddled under his many blankets and his warm sheets.

If only he could be like that again.

If only it was him, rather than Puck.

9 years, eleven months, and four days. That's how long it had been since he'd seen Rachel. He was sure that the two of them felt the same way about that night, when she'd bid her goodbyes to him.

He'd thought that by playing it slow and doing everything as she wanted to, he'd be able to keep her forever and make her forget about her feelings towards Puck. Unfortunately it hadn't worked.

It should have been him who had been helping her from the car. In should have been him entering the school with her in the dark.

Finn had always known love-he was a sucker for that feeling. It happened to him all of the time. Yet he always ended up feeling cheated, with Rachel on his mind. He sometimes went through his old pictures of her, when he needed it. Love-it was something he fell into too quickly and too soon.

He swore as he exited the car and started walking towards the school, walking in and glaring at Rachel and Noah Puckerman, who had once been his girlfriend and best friend. He approached them at their table, where Kurt Hummel-Anderson, Blaine Hummel-Anderson, Quinn Fabray, Mercedes and Sam Evans, and Santana and Brittany Pierce-Lopez sat with them. He dropped down in the other empty seat at the table, right after Tina Cohen-Chang and Mike Chang had taken their seats at the Glee table.

"Finn!" Rachel said, beaming brightly at him. "I honestly thought you weren't going to come," She exclaimed. "I'm so happy you're here," She said happily. She seemed so genuine-as if she had actually been worried she wouldn't be able to see him.

"Does he watch your favorite movies?" Finn asked her, crossing his arms as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Does he hold you when you cry?" He asked. "Does he let you tell him all of your favorite parts, when you've already seen it a million times together?" He wondered.

"What are you-"Rachel began, frowning slightly. "Finn, are you drunk?" She wondered.

"I only had a six pack," he said, shaking his head.

"Oh,my god-Finn, give me your keys. I'm taking you home," She said, holding her hands out.

"I'm not done!" Finn snapped.

"Yeah, well either am I," Puck glared t him. "Did you sing to all of her music while she'd dance around in the rain? Did you do all those things that I used to do?" He asked.

Finn didn't want to listen to Puck. He knew that there was no way they could promise that this was right. Yet, Rachel had thrown it all away.

"Finn! Noah!" Rachel said sternly. "Will you two just knock it off?" She asked.

"Does he love you like I loved you?" Finn asked. "Does he tell you everyday? Does he make you feel like you're invincible, with every single word he says?" He asked, his eyes locked on Rachel.

"Finn, please don't do this," Rachel asked, tears filling her eyes.

"Rachel, I love you and you're being unfair to me!" Finn snapped.

"She's not being unfair to you! I love her and she's my wife. Stop acting like this-"

"You stole her from me!" Finn shouted, standing up.

"Finn, it's been ten-"

"It's been nine years, eleven months and four days, Quinn, and I'm not going to not hold a grudge. He stole my fiancee and he was supposed to be my best friend!" He said.

"Finn, bro, just calm down-"Puck said, standing up.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Finn snapped, pinning Puck to the wall.

"Do you have to start a fight at everything?" Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, Quinn! This is all your fault-"

"Don't tell her to shut up!" Rachel snapped.

"Shut up, Rachel! You're nothing but a little-"

Puck punched him stopping him from finishing that.

"I know you weren't about to call her a slut," Puck said. And that's when the fight began.

"STOP IT" Rachel snapped, jumping up and fighting her way between the two of them. "Finn, stop it-we already went over this. I love Noah-he makes me happy and I want to be with him. But, Noah, you cannot just go around beating up any guy who has anything to say to me!" She snapped. "This whole thing is ridiculous, alright? I'm going home and I never want to see you again, alright, Finn?" Rachel said, turning on her heel as she started walking away.

* * *

Later that night, Puck crawled into bed besides Rachel, wrapping his arms around her.

"I talked to Finn-he wants to apologize for what happened, but he doesn't want to ruin what you said. He feels really bad," He whispered, kissing her neck.

"He ruined everything. I was supposed to see my best friends, the people I haven't seen in years, and he ruined it all because he was jealous. I never thought he'd be so upset and hold such a grudge over me calling the engagement off...none of it makes any sense," She shook her head.

"He loves you, can you really blame him? How would you feel if I'd left you right before the wedding for Quinn?" He wondered.

"I guess I'd feel pretty shitty...I'd probably never forgive her," She admitted.

"That's how he feels," Puck said, pulling her closer. "And I'm sorry that I let him get to me. It was just to bug me and I let him," Puck sighed. "I hate myself for that," He said.

"Noah, I love you. I can't be angry with you for defending me. After all, he was pushing all of the right buttons, wasn't he?" Rachel wondered.

"Yeah, well, when it comes to you, every buttons the right button to push," He sighed.

"Is this one?" She giggled, reaching around him to kiss him on the lips.

"Yeah, you know what? That was _just _the right one," He said, pulling her on top of him and kissing her again.


End file.
